Odisha BJD not to join nation-wide strike

Odisha's ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) on Sunday said it will not join the nation-wide strike called by opposition parties on Sep 20 against the diesel price hike and foreign direct investment (FDI) in multi-brand retail.

Instead, the BJD - which has been opposing the central government's decisions - announced it would stage demonstrations across the state on Monday. "BJD will stage demonstrations in front of the offices of district collectors tomorrow," BJD leader Kalpataru Das said.

"We have decided not to join the protests because the Nuakhai festival would be celebrated in the western part of the state Sep 20. The BJD does not want to create any inconvenience on that day," Das added.

Although the state's traders have said they will join the protest, it was not clear if the state units of other non-Congress parties - including the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) would - join the protests or stay away.

The harvest festival of Nuakhai is an annual festival that spreads the message of goodwill and brotherhood.

The BJP-led National Democratic Alliance and the Left parties have called the strike Sep 20 to protest the hike in diesel price, the six-cylinder cap on subsidised cooking gas cylinders for each household and allowing FDI in multi-brand retail.